Body Surveillance May Reduce the Psychological Benefits of Exercise

Abstract

Introduction: Body surveillance (i.e., monitoring the body’s appearance) is linked with body image disturbance and eating pathology in women. Two studies investigated whether women’s levels of body surveillance while exercising were linked with two common positive psychological outcomes of exercise: improved body satisfaction and increased positive mood. Methods: In Study 1, we explored correlations between body surveillance while working out, exercise enjoyment, exercise frequency, and trait body dissatisfaction in a sample of 218 women (age range 19–68) who exercised regularly. In Study 2, women (n = 178, age range 18–30) completed measures of mood and body satisfaction immediately before and after a 30-minute Zoom fitness class. Results: In Study 1, body surveillance while exercising was negatively associated with exercise enjoyment and exercise frequency. Further, a mediation analysis suggested that the negative association between body dissatisfaction and exercise enjoyment was mediated by body surveillance while exercising. Study 2 results indicated that the exercise class increased positive mood. However, higher levels of body surveillance during the class were associated with less mood improvement. Self-reported positive words to describe class experience were negatively related to body surveillance during the class, with the reverse finding for negative descriptive words. Discussion: Overall, results suggest engaging in body surveillance during workouts may diminish the typically positive effects of exercise on mood and body satisfaction. Altering fitness contexts to discourage appearance monitoring is recommended.